THE Labour Councillor for Bo’ness and Blackness is Adrian Mahoney. You can contact him at 5 Craigallan Park, Bo’ness – or email: adrian.mahoney@falkirk.gov.uk or adrian@bonesslabour.org.uk
Adrian is one of 32 members of Falkirk Council. Labour has the largest political group on the council, with 14 councillors, and leads the administration running the authority.
Adrian was appointed as the convener of environment and heritage committee (now leisure, tourism and community committee). He is also the convener of the economic strategy and development committee (appointed January 2009). He also serves on the Council’s planning committee.
Adrian attends community events and also holds regular surgeries. Full details in the local press and via the Council website. Alternatively call 01324 506070 and ask for “members’ services” to find out the next surgery date and time. The direct line to Adrian’s office at the Council is 01324 506142. (If he’s not in, the call will go through to staff, who will be happy to pass on a message.)
SIGNING POWERS
Since December 2007, Councillors have been able to undertake some “signing powers” previously undertaken by Justices of the Peace. These signing functions are the same as those that could previously be performed by a JP who was on the Supplemental List, that is a “Signing Justice”, as defined in the Bail, Judicial Appointments, etc. (Scotland) Act 2000. The 2007 Act authorises Councillors to:
* sign any document for the purpose of authenticating another person’s signature;
* take and authenticate by their signature any written declaration;
* give a signed certificate of facts within the Councillor’s knowledge;
* give a signed certificate of the Councillor’s opinion as to any matter.
In the cases above, Councillor Mahoney may be able to help you. Consult with him at one of his regular surgeries, or book an appointment via 01324 506142. Details on “signing powers” are available online.
BIOGRAPHY
Born at nearby Bangour Hospital in 1968, Adrian Mahoney grew up in Bo’ness – attending Deanburn Primary School and Bo’ness Academy.
He started writing for newspapers at the age of 13. By 16, he had won a place on the only journalism course in Scotland at that time – at Napier College (now Napier University) in Edinburgh. He graduated in 1987 and joined The Falkirk Herald – Scotland’s largest-selling local weekly newspaper. In 1991, aged 22, he became one of the paper’s youngest chief reporters.
During his ten years at The Falkirk Herald, Adrian covered everything from High Court cases to local amateur dramatics. He cites highlights as visiting Buckingham Palace on an assignment and covering a local Army regiment’s trip to Kenya. He also freelanced with the Daily Record. In 1997 he left newspapers – to join the Government’s national housing agency Scottish Homes (later to become Communities Scotland).
For two years he was a communications officer, covering an area stretching from the Forth Bridge to Shetland. Working primarily on media projects, he worked closely with partners such as Scottish Enterprise. He left Scottish Homes in 1999. After six months in a PR consultancy he started his own firm – The PR Store.
He has worked for a wide variety of clients, from housing associations to a local council and health authorities.
He stood for election to Bo’ness Community Council in 2005 and was elected with nearly 2000 votes. In 2006 he was selected by the Labour Party to be one of two candidates standing in the 2007 Falkirk Council elections in Bo’ness and Blackness. He was elected to Falkirk Council in May 2007.
